Retaining customers and generating more sales are the two most vital jobs of any business. But, it is getting harder and harder each passing day due to a compressed budget, tighter legislation, lack of skilled staff and attrition, and several other factors. This requires faster actions and advanced tools to keep the wheel of business circulating. A contact center solution can be a great tool here to speed up sales and customer care campaigns. There are several options for this software available, but of course, what is more alluring for business owners is using a free call center solution like VICIDial call center solution.Â
What is VICIDial?
VICIDial is an open source call center solution, which is why it is considered a completely free solution. It supports inbound, outbound, and blended campaigns with its features and functionalities. Its source code is also available for free, which can be used by the users to white label the solutions or for any kind of VICIDial custom development.
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As it is an open source solution and its code is also available for customization, it is considered as a free solution. This makes it more popular for business owners as according to them they don’t need to pay anything to get, customize, white label, and use a full fledged contact center solution.
Here the question that must arise before you get this software is that, whether it is a completely free solution or not.
We will explore more about it in this blog post and share whether it is really free or not.
Is VICIDial the Right Choice for Your Business?
Is VICIDial a really free call center solution?
If we look at the concept of an open source solution, whether it is a call center software or an open source VoIP billing solution, you get the following things for free:
- SoftwareÂ
- Code of the softwareÂ
- LicenseÂ
To be specific an open source solution is available under a general public license (GPL), which makes the software free. You neither need to buy the software nor need to invest in getting source code. However, it is not really a completely free solution because there are several hidden costs associated with using the VICIDial call center solution. If you consider those expenses, you will realize that it is not free software
Hidden costs associated with VICIDial
There are multiple aspects related to which the cost is associated and that burst the myth of having a completely free call center software solution.
1. Hosting
The first cost associated with this software is definitely the hosting cost. Even if you get software for free, you have to host it on physical servers or the cloud. You need to get this space before you get the software and think about installation. This is the first fee to consider.
2. Setup and installation
You have to install and set up this software and for that, you either need to invest in learning the steps to do so or you have to pay for VICIDial installation services. The experienced developers will install and set up the software based on your business model and requirements. This is another additional cost.
3. VICIDial theme
According to reviews shared on the VICIDial platform by its users, 7 out of 10 users find the user interface aka VICIDial theme and GUI very poor. This can increase the time agents spend using the software. Thus, to make it easy to use and pleasing to the eyes, the business has to invest in VICIDial custom theme development and integration. Whether it is done in-house or by a professional company, it will require you to spend money and it is another cost to consider.
4. VICIDial Custom Development
38% of users that have shared reviews on VICIDial mention that this open source call center solution lacks major features and integrations. Thus, investment in VICIDial custom development services becomes essential to add those missing features and integrations. For example, using an omnichannel solution has become necessary nowadays to meet customer demands. VICIDial is not an omnichannel solution. Thus, you need to pay for the integration of those or at least most in-demand communication channels into your software for call centers. Moreover, you have to build a user interface to use those communication channels more easily and engagingly within the contact center software. This requires you to pay for expert VICIDial custom development services.
5. Support and maintenance
Being a software solution, VICIDial also needs maintenance and support. Whether there is a bug that needs fixing or if there is some downtime of the system, which needs attention, you need to pay for technical support services. Along with the support services, you will also need regular maintenance services to keep the system running, take backups on-time, handle failover, upgrade the software, and manage other issues. You need regular software maintenance services from experts of this system.
Is there any Other Hidden Cost Associated with VICIDial?
If you use professional services from a company or freelancer, the five types of major expenses explained in the above section are major investments you need. If you have the technical expertise to use this software and think about how to handle setup, installation, deployment, customization, development, white labeling, etc., then also there is the cost of time. Your time, in fact, is more important and expensive and should be spent on handling crucial business operations instead of software customization and other technical aspects.
If you hire an in-house developer for this contact center software, then you also need to pay wages to that developer, which is an additional cost. Moreover, you have to pay for his or her skill enhancements.
Concluding notes
Investing in the right technology to uplift your customer care and sales game is a must. Using a free solution is definitely an attractive option, but you have to consider whether the software is really free. Even if it is low cost, is it worth it?
You now know about the VICIDial call center solution in detail and all hidden and associated expenses related to using this software. We have expertise in this software. If you need any assistance, whether VICIDial custom development services or bug fixing, we can help you. For more details, contact us.
